August 5, 2018
TIME AFTER PENTECOST — LECTIONARY 18

INTRODUCTION
Apparently not satisfied by Jesus' feeding of thousands, some who were there press him for a sign of his power; perhaps it is daily manna they want. As always in John's gospel when people want a sign, Jesus offers himself. He is the bread come from heaven to give life to the world. He calls us to come to him and believe in him, and through that relationship to know the one who sent him.

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
All may make the sign of the cross, the sign marked at baptism, as the presiding minister begins.
Blessed be the holy Trinity, + one God,
full of compassion and mercy,
abounding in steadfast love.
Amen.

Trusting God's promise of forgiveness,
let us confess our sin against God and one another.

Silence for reflection and self-examination.

Eternal God our creator,
in you we live and move and have our being.
Look upon us, your children,
the work of your hands.
Forgive us all our offenses,
and cleanse us from proud thoughts and empty desires.
By your grace draw us near to you,
our refuge and our strength;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Since we are justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
God's love has been poured into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit given to us.
In the mercy of almighty God,
Christ died for us while we still were sinners;
and for his sake, God + forgives you all your sins.
Amen.

PRAYER OF THE DAY
O God, eternal goodness, immeasurable love, you place your gifts before us; we eat and are satisfied. Fill us and this world in all its need with the life that comes only from you, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Alleluia. One does not live by | bread alone,* but by every word that comes from the | mouth of God. Alleluia. (Matt. 4:4)

READINGS AND PSALM
Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15
Psalm 78:23-29
God rained down manna from heaven; so mortals ate the bread of angels. (Ps. 78:24, 25)
Ephesians 4:1-16
John 6:24-35

FIRST READING: Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15
A food crisis becomes a faith crisis for the Israelites in the wilderness. The hungry people forget God's saving work in the exodus, and they wish for the food they had in Egypt. Nevertheless, God miraculously meets their needs, with manna for bread and quail for meat.

2The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."

4Then the LORD said to Moses, "I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. 9Then Moses said to Aaron, "Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, 'Draw near to the LORD, for he has heard your complaining.'" 10And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. 11The LORD spoke to Moses and said, 12"I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, 'At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the LORD your God.'"

13In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, "It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat."

PSALM: Psalm 78:23-29
God rained down manna from heaven; so mortals ate the bread of angels. (Ps. 78:24, 25)

23So God commanded the | clouds above
	and opened the | doors of heaven,
24raining down manna upon | them to eat
	and giving them | grain from heaven.  R
25So mortals ate the | bread of angels;
	God provided for them | food enough.
26The LORD caused the east wind to blow | in the heavens
	and powerfully led out | the south wind,
27raining down flesh upon | them like dust
	and flying birds like the sand | of the seas,
28letting them fall in the midst | of the camp
	and round a- | bout the dwellings.
29So the people ate and | were well filled,
	for God gave them | what they craved.  R

SECOND READING: Ephesians 4:1-16
Christians share fundamental unity and diversity. Our unity consists in the one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God. Our diversity is expressed in various forms of ministry, whose goal is equipping the saints and building up Christ's one body.

1I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
	7But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8Therefore it is said,
	"When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; 
	he gave gifts to his people."
9(When it says, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) 11The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. 14We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people's trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. 15But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body's growth in building itself up in love.

GOSPEL: John 6:24-35
Many of the five thousand people Jesus fed in the wilderness continued to follow him throughout the countryside. Jesus challenges them to consider the real nature of their quest.

24When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were [beside the sea,] they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus. 25When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?" 26Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal." 28Then they said to him, "What must we do to perform the works of God?" 29Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." 30So they said to him, "What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? 31Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" 32Then Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always."

35Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
The prayers are prepared locally for each occasion. The following examples may be adapted or used as appropriate.
Trusting in our loving and almighty God who abundantly provides the bread of life to all who hunger, let us pray for the church, the world, and all who are in need.
A brief silence.
Holy God, you give gifts and talents to every member of the church. Strengthen all your children and bring them to a full understanding and maturity in Christ. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Creator God, our complex and wonderful world is a sure sign of your abundance and care. Provide for every creature, and rain down the bread of heaven that gives life to the world. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Peaceful God, draw the nations of the world to harmony and mutual understanding. Bind all of humanity in the unity of love and peace that comes through the Spirit. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Gracious God, we pray for those who are hungry, homeless, and who have lost family or friends. Lead them to places of safety, food, and rest. We pray especially for. . . . Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Merciful God, you have brought us all together in this time and place. Bless this congregation, including those who are absent, and draw us into closer communion with you, each other, and our community. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Here other intercessions may be offered.
Infinite God, we praise you for the lives of those who have died in Christ. Keep our hearts in hope, for we have all received the food that endures to eternal life. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Almighty and loving God, we look to you in hope and trust, knowing that you will do far more than we can ask or imagine, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.

OFFERING PRAYER
Merciful God,
you open wide your hand
and satisfy the need of every living thing.
You have set this feast before us.
Open our hands to receive it.
Open our hearts to embrace it.
Open our lives to live it.
We pray this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

INVITATION TO COMMUNION
Come, let us eat, for now the feast is spread.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Jesus Christ, host of this meal,
you have given us not only this bread and cup,
but your very self, that we may feast on your great love.
Filled again by these signs of your grace,
may we hunger for your reign of justice,
may we thirst for your way of peace,
for you are Lord forevermore.
Amen.

SENDING OF COMMUNION
O God of tender compassion,
as you healed the sick and welcomed the stranger,
bless those who leave this assembly
to share the gifts of this table
with our sisters and brothers
who are sick/homebound/imprisoned.
May they be sustained by the love and prayers
of this community,
and by the Bread of life that satisfies all hunger,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

BLESSING
May God, whose power working in us
can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine,
grant you the gifts of faith and hope.
Almighty God, Father, + Son, and Holy Spirit,
bless you now and forever.
Amen.

DISMISSAL
Go in peace. The Spirit sends us forth to serve.
Thanks be to God.

Reprinted from Words for Worship, copyright 2017 Augsburg Fortress. Used by permission. Scripture quotations (except psalms) from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA. All rights reserved. Used by permission.